SECRETARY OF STATE SPEAKS HIGHLY OF JACKSON

JACKSON -- Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook assured an audience in Jackson Thursday night that the new state manual unveiled Wednesday in Jefferson City is blue.

Cook, who grew up in Jackson, spoke to more than 50 people who attended the annual Manufacturers' Appreciation Banquet of the Jackson Industrial Development Company.

The development company is a not-for-profit organization that strives to attract business to the Jackson area.

During the term of her impeached predecessor, Judy Moriarty, the state manual had a mauve cover, which countered the many years the book was printed with a blue cover. The mauve cover met with jokes and criticism when it was released two years ago.

In five days the book again will be released with its traditional blue cover, the first manual Cook has published since her appointment to the office by Gov. Mel Carnahan almost 10 months ago.

Cook told the audience -- many of whom were old friends -- that the governor's appointment was a "huge shock and great honor."

She said besides the blue book, the secretary of state's office handles diverse tasks. It handles the documents registering 140,000 statewide companies, checks the worthiness of stockbrokers and securities and archives official state documents.

In addition to the official duties of the office, Cook has had the task of restoring credibility to the third-most powerful state office since it was tarnished last year by the first impeachment of a state executive officer.

"I think that's been done," she said. "I think we're now moving forward with great progression."

Cook said she was proud to be from Jackson and pleased that her children are attending a school whose colors are red and black, like her high-school alma mater.

Cook said leaving Cape Girardeau County was hard, but she finds pleasure and honor by serving in state government.

"I'm here to help you," she said, "but it seems to me that Jackson doesn't need much help. You're doing fine."

She said the other employees in her office and other state offices as a whole have Missouri's best interests in mind.

"There is plenty of good in state government," she said. "We really want to do what you want us to do. Every morning I wake up and ask what is it that Missourians want me to do today."